The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-03-31

ber of changes up IL October l-t.
l>>6. was 2'i>. or - I"'r cent. The re-
moyal~ were - or - per cent. of th,
total uumI-.r of otiicc-: the deaths wrr,
two or of | per cent. The numbers of
incumi-Ht- of offices having a term of
four years who Were. not urapIpint,d al
the end uf their terms was 81. or ;,u Is.T
cent. The latter class include Indian
agents uf whom onlN =. or uinr-trnth~ of
one Ier cent. wrre rrapIsintsl upon
the expiration ct their commissions.
The Treasury Department has thus far
neglected {" reply Ia the request uf the
RecOri Ia furnish tia. details of changes
i'm the unclassiiied -,.rVire. Il can hard
ly b' assumed that this proportion of
change was required bN the Interests of
the public service and u sp,~ not appear
that the changes have, b,-.u made upon
any general principle or for amy reason
that might not reflect "A complete Iarti-
san change b,tprs. thcci,,~,. nf the admin
I~tratiun. This ~.eut- L. ~ apparent from
the facts IN regard 90 tho changes ia the
Bndian Buran.
Ill will IT, observed from tins rrNi,yv
that while the removals IA tia. classified
departmental ~,rN ice. which include,
bjJo persons. amounted L. q per cent in
the past fifteen months al the admins
tratlun the per csntayt. ia th, resi- of the
-t-iNHf Atlith utili'lt'S about iaHl.ihHt
places NOT affected by the rules. wa~ very
much larger. THE first class. however.
cannot i=- fairly assumed 10 show the
proportion ot all removals that ought Ia
have been made for valid reasons. bs--
cause II l. confined mainly Ia clerk~hiI-
i'm Washington Whil-the second elias, en-
braces the various bTaucl,- of the Civil
Service throughout th" country includ-
ing the po~t-ottics.~ iu which the public
pT st1l.r.HS .t..f.far4.l...H
changes. lBnt conc,rlmg the proprirty
uf such removals the percentage of
changes Ia the uncla~-Ifitri ~.ryice s-em-
to bc too large Ia Justify the conclusion
that they were generally made with sole
regard to the public interest, aud such
facts ~ tho~s. shown bv Mr.. Swift i'm In
diana and hN tire most competent iuIlir-
er~ into the management of the Indian
Bureau may H. accepted a. illustrations
of tine r,st-nn~ other than those connect
e,l with efficient unu-Parti-an service
which haN" produced - Significantly
large percentage ni removals.
The report concludes a. follows.
Tried by the standard of absolute
fidelity Ia the reform ~ il l. understood
hy tins League. IL - not to he denied
that this administration has left much to
bc desired. But upon the showing of
u
nor eNtenuatcd the most miurious facts.
if our estimate of the situation be Just
the administration under rnormou~ dis
advantages AMI perpleNitie- has accom-
pli~he'i much for the reform of the civil
>"rvice. Whatever Just disappointment
may have be,-n felt. Il j. Hndrniahle that
the old '-poil- system has b,r'n seriously
shaken. Notwithstanding evident par
ti~;tn pressure. ia" administration has
la 4 .
tl-dn sweep of the Civil ScrN ice j. NOT
demanded 10y the Intelligence of the
country ami i Hot necessary for honest.
efficient AMI satisfactory government.
Thi, alou" - an unmra~tIrahlr b"n"tt to
reform. Never irtor. sine the
partisan prostitution of the civil
SerNic" began. has thu middle of th"
term of administration found the nom
politics'l place i'm that ~rryic" distributed
between the two partIr,. Satisfactory
officers in yariuu, Positions have served
Out their terms. and some have been r.
appointed when their terms expired. "A
fact hitherto unknown after a party
change. ia the national executive. The
fragm-ntary results of reform which had
been secured by prcviou- administrations
have been fully maintained while the az
gr,.gatr of such results has b,-.n remark
ably enlarged. Great public offices. which
iiilll'-iA'f AFftt iitiAl7stit
ter~. have been Transformed into strictly
businr-, offices. Not for half century
has there been less obnoxiou- political
activity among offic,-lolIcr-. Political
assessments, although not entirely abol-
i~hcd. have been ctl'rtually dis,r,slited
and discontinued. where they were
formerly arbitrarily enforced. Conf
dcnce and self-resp.r't have. been con-.-
quently stimulated throughout the ser
personal and political favoritsm de-
str"ys. has been ,ignally elevated AMI
strengthened.
These good results. indeed. have. not
been uniform and universal. But the
fact that the chief cen,ure of the admin
lStratiun 10y partisan opponents lies in
the allegation that il has violated sound
principles of reform. and that the equal
ly vigorous crnsure from partisan adhe-
rents II based upon the theory that it,
fidelity Ia reform has disheartcned and
di~orlGiniZed it, own party. j. the uncuu-
-ciou, homage of hostility To it, surpassed
purpose. Even if the apprehension of
some earnest friends of reform should be
Justified and the fur1 her progress, of the
administration by rfTccting before the
clo~e of IL, term complete partisan
change IN th" service. should totally dis
appoint the anticipation, which hay"
ihFii entertainer 81 a constantly Sf'dt'i
and Inor" consistent fidelity To- the prin-
cipies of reform. il failure would not
affect the Importance and pTact liability
ot those principles or Tia" value and sig
nitcanCe of the progress which reform
in the Civil ScTVirc ha- ALREADY arhicycd
Til" apprehension of which We
~I,eak shows that the administration
stands at tn" parting n the WAYS. Much
has been done of which A. friends of re
form We have frankly oppressed our un-
equivocai di,apprnval. and much also
which has Justified th" high expectations
which are based upon the declarations
of the President before hiS Inauguration.
The future action of the Administration |
upon this subject. therefore. VIII be |
watched with profound interest a. de- |
tcrnininS the final public Judgment of /
it, relation to Civil S-TVic. Reform. \ /
rapid and comprehensive extension OF /
[ iIt classified service. consistent adhcT-
enc. Ia tn. declarations of the President /
and Ia the purpp-e manifested iH some /
pf the most significant executive acts /
with courageous confidence. in /
the patriotic and intelligent support Of i
th.. Es-ppl, for CotIr~s- cpHtoTm.si t. the j
principles stated IN the President ltttcT /
to the Isague. would. IN our opinion. +
iis-Ipate all distrust and apprehension 4
ind happily identify the President and /
li- Administration with one of tn. most 4
important. l'.neticeut and Indispensable /
reforms in our political history.
t.ood Words for MugwHmp
Boston 1rlttsI..rr
IL